


Red Velvet

by mrs_captain_rogers



Series: Check Please Ficlets [5]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Jack has a sweet spot for red velvet cake, M/M, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, bitty has his own bakery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 07:41:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7792720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrs_captain_rogers/pseuds/mrs_captain_rogers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack has always had a sweet spot for red velvet cake so when he stumbles upon Little Bits, a new bakery in his neighborhood, he can't help but inquire...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Velvet

If there was one thing Jack knew it was hockey but what he really knew well… was red velvet cake. He couldn’t make it worth a damn but he knew a good one when he tasted it. Moist texture with a smooth cream cheese frosting was what he always looked for. A deep rich color, almost more brown than red, instead of the bright artificial red he’d come across time and time again. 

The up and coming hockey star glanced at the words scrawled across his ribs as he tugged on his shirt. The gently looping handwriting had first appeared when he was four. As a child they had confused him slightly but when he became older his passion for red velvet cake grew along with his determination to find his soulmate. 

_You don’t want that, have the red velvet instead._

Long fingers brushed over the mark through the thin blue fabric sending a shiver down Jack’s spine. Slipping into his shoes Jack headed out for his usual morning run. He liked the quiet of his Providence neighborhood as he started out on his usual route. As he cut through a small shopping district, mostly small businesses and eclectic little holes in the wall, something caught Jack’s eye. In the window, where a barber shop had previously been, was a new sign. 

**Opening Soon! Little Bits Bakery**

The logo was bright and cheerful featuring a colorful hand drawn cherry pie. “Little Bits eh?” Jack wondered aloud. As he admired the logo a woman half his size bumped into him. She cried out as the teetering stack of boxes in her arms swayed dangerously. Quick hands steadied the tower of white boxes. Jack began to apologize. 

“Nah I couldn’t see where I was going, it’s on me. No harm no foul.” She gently set the stack on the small round table sitting out front of the small shop. Once the boxes were settled Jack spied the same pie design on her shirt. 

“This your place?” 

The dark haired woman shook her head but smiled brightly. “I’m Lardo, this is Bitty’s place. I’m just helping out where I can. The big opening is next week but we’re doing a few days of soft opening to get the word out around the neighborhood.” Now it was Jack’s turn to nod a bright smile spreading across his face. The smile only grew as he caught a whiff emanating from the bakery.

“What’s the specialty here?” 

“Pie, well that’s in Bitty’s honest opinion… not that I don’t agree with him. There’s a maple crust apple pie that’s always a major hit.” Jack’s blue eyes lit up at the mere sound of it. 

“Is there red velvet on the menu by chance?” 

“Oh yeah of course. What kind of southern baker doesn’t have red velvet on the menu?” 

_Southern? I wonder where this Bitty is from…_

Before Jack could say more his phone began to buzz. The tall man excused himself for a moment to take the call. While he paced back and forth chatting in French, Bitty stuck his head out the door. 

“Did you invite him in Lardo?” She shook her head. 

“No, hadn’t gotten that far yet. Do you know who he is?” The excitement on the blonde’s face was clear to his friend. He tugged at his shirt sleeve trying to cover the neat block writing that circled his upper arm. 

“He plays for the Falconers. Lards he’s the captain for the team that big catering job is for. What if he doesn’t like our stuff?” Lardo gave her friend a squeeze on the shoulder. 

“Bitty, this is you we are talking about. You’re the best baker I’ve ever met. Your stuff is going to blow everybody away, especially tall, dark, and Quebecois over there.” The petite woman punched her friend playfully on his shoulder. “Now get back inside. You’ve got orders to fill.” As Bitty turned to retreat inside Lardo grabbed his shirt. “Oh and Bits you might want to add some red velvet something to that catering order.” Jack caught a brief glimpse of the small blonde before he’d ducked back into the shop. 

“Was that him? Bitty?” 

Lardo looked up from the boxes she was checking. “Hmm? Oh yeah that was Bits. He had to get the last couple of things together for this order but he says to invite you back for the grand opening.” A smile spread slowly across Jack’s face as he peered through the window at the flitting blonde inside. 

“I’ll have to do that.” 

Jack and Lardo parted ways, Jack on his run, Lardo on her delivery. The day passed uneventfully and soon Jack found himself at the arena that evening.  
The Falconers were having a meet and greet with some lucky fans and local big wigs before the season opener the following day. As Jack entered the conference room, dressed in black pants and a smart blue button down, the overwhelming scent of chocolate hit his senses. Eyes that matched his shirt quickly scanned the room until he saw the incredible spread of sweets. The hockey player had always been dedicated to his diet plan but if any of that tasted as good as it smells he was willing to cheat… a little. He swore to himself he’d run an extra mile the next day to make up for it. Tater intercepted as jack made his way toward the table. 

“Zimboni hello!” Jack smiled warmly at his teammate and accepted the one armed bro-hug Tater insisted on giving him every time he saw Jack. 

“Hi Tater. How’s things?” 

“Things are good but yummies are better.” Tater chuckled at his own silly answer before joining Jack on the way to the catering table. There were several types of cupcakes, at least four flavors of mini pies, and baked meringues half the size of Jack’s fist. It didn’t take long for Jack to spy the small pie design that was quickly becoming familiar. The smile on his face grew as he started reaching for one of the baked meringues. They were something his mother used to make as a child and had always been a favorite of his. As he reached for one an accented voice chimed in behind him.

“You don’t want that, have the red velvet instead.” It was only after the words cleared his mind that he even noticed the small tray of red velvet mini bunt cakes sitting at the far end of the table. 

Jack slowly turned and found a smiling blonde ray of sunshine watching him. The hockey captain bit his lip nervously as he tried to think of something, anything, to say to him.  
“That’s your honest opnion eh?” The gasp that escaped Bitty’s lips was all Jack needed to hear.


End file.
